Apparatus for making buckles



May 26, 1953 E. M. TORBERT APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUCKLES Filed Jan. 28, 1948 May 26, 1953 E. M. ToRBf-:RT

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUCKLES 5 Sheecs--SheerI 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1948 INVENTOR.

i EVERYLMVDREIERT Y J ze www uney.

May 26, 1953l E. M. TORBERT A 2,539,489

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUCKLES Filed Jan. 28, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 269 1953 E. M. TORBERT 2,639,489

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUCKLES Filed Jan. 28, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 Il l A7331/ T 3% 68 60 l I| 54 57 024 77 INVENTOR- 78 v ERYL. MmRaEm-r May 26, 1953 E. M. TORBERT 2,639,489

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUCKLES Filed Jan. 28, 1948 Fi 7- Fi CAW,

5 Sheets-Sheei 5 EVERYL M TURBERT Patented May 26, 1953 APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUCKLES Everyl M. Torbert, Freeland, Md., assignor to Samuel Greenberg and Milton Kolker, a copartnership doing business as Buckle-Craft Co.,

Baltimore, Md.

Application January 28, 1948, Serial No. 4,850

1 Claim. 1

My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in apparatus for making buckles and is designed to provide a machine for stamping the bodies of the buckles, producing the tongues for the buckles, and applying the tongues to the bodies coincidentally with the stamping of the bodies. Prior to my invention, buckles were pro-4 duced by performing a number of sequential, independent operations. The bodies were stamped in a punch press, the tongues were produced, and the tongues were attached to the bodies, by the functioning of entirely separated machines, requiring manual operations. Large scale, rapid mass production was rendered impossible by the necessary transfer of the work from and to the necessary machines, and by the manual operations required.

All of these objectionable features of the former production means are completely eliminated by my improved apparatus comprising a suitable punch press provided with the novel mechanisms embodying my invention. Actual experience with an apparatus, embodying my invention, which has produced over a million buckles, shows conclusively that my invention provides a machine capable of emcient, large scale, rapid, mass production of buckles. This improved apparatus fabricates the completed buckles in a. continuous operation so long as it is supplie-d with the raw material comprising stock for the bodies of the buckles, in the form of a ribbon of suitable metal Iof suitable width and thickness, and stock for the tongues, in the form of wire stock of suitable metal of suitable gauge.

The particularly novel and useful features of my apparatus are the means for forming the bodies, the means for forming the tongues, the means for applying the tongues to the bodies, and the means for synchronizing all of said means to effect the continuous process of producing the completed buckles in an uninterrupted sequence of operations upon the raw material.

While I have illustrated in the ydrawings and have hereinafter fully described one specic embodiment of my invention, it is to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my invention to be limited to said specic embodiment but refer for its scope to the claim appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, the press being open.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a transverse, vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, the press being closed.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section 4on the line =66 of Fig. 5, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged, vertical section on the line 'l--l of Fig. 3, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, the parts being in the positions assumed when the press is closed.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, vertical section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top plan of the metallic ribbon stock.

Fig. l1 is a fragmentary, vertical section on the line II-II of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 12 is a greatly enlarged, horizontal section lon the line I2-I2 of Fig. 4, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, on the line I3-I3 of Fig. 5, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 14 is a View similar to Figs. 7 and 8, the parts being in the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 13.

As illustrated in the drawings, my improved apparatus has a iixed bed B and a vertically reciprocable presser head H slidable on guide pillars P, such as are common in punch presses. Suitable plates I and '2 are mounted on the bed B and the head H, respectively, by means of bolts 3 and 4, respectively. The plate I has a longitudinal axial channel 5 in which are mounted female dies l6 and 1, by means of bolts 8 and 9, respectively, and which have registering, longitudinal, axial passageways I0 and II, `respectively, for the stock S. The plate 2 has a longitudinal, axial channel I2 in which are mounted punch blocks I3 and I4 for c-o-action with the die 6, and a punch block I5 for co-action with the die 1. The block I3 has a pair of punches I6, Il co-acting with bores I8, I9 in the die I6, which are suitably configured to punch the desired openings in the stock S for the bodies of the buckles. Suitable bores 20 and 2| are provided in plate I and bed B, respectively, registering with bores I'8 and I 9 for the discharge of the punched-out material. The block I4 has a punch 22 co-acting with a socket 23 in the die 6, which are suitably configured to stamp the body of the bucklein the stock S. The block I has a punch 24 co-acting with a bore 25 in the die 1, which are suitably congured to punch the completed buckle from the stock S. lSuitable bores 2B and 21 are provided in the plate l and the bed B, respectively, registering with bore 25 for discharge of the buckles from the apparatus -to any suitable cntain'er 1tl'ierefor.

The 1above-described 'details of construction effect the production of the body of :a tongueless buckle. I will now describe the details of construction of my novel lapparatus whichy effect the production of the tongiie"and"it`s"appli` cation to the body, coincidentallywith the production thereof. Y

The mechanism for forming the 'tongue Aand feeding it to the body of the buckle is mounted on a block 28 disposed on the "plate -I intermediate the dies 6 and 'I and seated in a socket 29 in the plate I (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) This block i2'hxas a cut-out portion 28-a and a thickened portion '3B which is v*suitably configured-on its Iedge projecting from the'body of the block '2to lform an anvil 3! (Figs. 7, 8 'and '14). Suitably'journaled in the `block 2-8 there is a 4rock shaft 32 en 'which is mounted a rocker head 33 having abutments 33-'a and lit-b engaging Ithe bottom wall 2li-1u of the socket 29, to limit the degree of rdcking move- `ment of the-rocker head g33. The rocker'head 33 has a thickened portion-34 which is suitablyconfigured on its edge projecting 'from thebcdy of the rocker head 33 'to'form ahamm'er '35to co-act with thev anvil `3 I For a purpose presently to be'explained, `*the anvil 3l (Fig. 7) has a concave portion 3Ia 'concentric with'the 'shaft SZanda-convex portion 3 I-bV extending `from the `lower endofth'e portion 'SI-a to a rectilinear'portioniSILc The ham'mer 35 has a convex portion 35-a concentric with `'shaft 32 and on a radius 'substantially' correspondanvil 3| has a convex potinSILd above th'eportion `.3l-ct and mergingupwardly intof'a 'concave portion SI-e. The hammer 35 has contiguous 'responding to portions 3 I-da'nd-S I"-'e,`^resp'ectively,

' of the 'anvil i3 I Corresponding' concave-*portions `Iii-, 'and35-f areprovidedon-ithepper ends of y'the -anvil3 I 4and the"haunn'ier"135,*respectively` For operating theiliam'mer35jthe i'ckerfhead .r

33 on whichthe hammer-135? 'isforined has 'al-pin ing its other end pivotedon'fa-pini3l9 v'tapped into Ava block d throug'hwhichpas'ssfayerti'cal rod I fixed in the presser headH, depending therefrom Iand passing freely throughthe plate`l Iandthe bed lB (Fig. 4).

The "rod "4I has "a ch'a'rnfered portion to provide -av plane surface 42 "against 'which bears the planehead 43 AofaplungerIlliof suitable material slidablejin-a housing 'A5-'tapped 4into the block 4U-and havingla cap lAl threaded 'The mechanism forsupplying'the-wiifestock for the vproduction vof the to'n'g'gues "Wi-ll frw be i desented.l A braeketsodependsifrmihe bedfe'farid carries' on its lower end a" devel-tailed t'ackway `set tongue '66.

and the head H, respectively (Fig. 1-1).

5I on which is vertically slidable a carriage 52 having a shim 53 with presser bolts 54 to effect frictional engagement of the carriage 52 and the trackway 5I. The carriage 52 has formed integral therewith an L-shaped bracket 55 carrying an L-shaped plate 5G having a horizontal tongue "51 carrying ya vertical bolt 58 rpassing 'through a @slot r`59 in a gripper plate 6D biased toward the tongue 51 by a coil spring 6I about the bolt 58 Vland adjustably tensioned by a nut 62 threaded lper end portion GSi-a slidablyreceivedfin a tube 'IB tappedfinto the bottom of the bed B. Suitable -c0axial-bores IG-a and 'id-b are `provided in the -bed vBand the plate I, respectively, co-axially with the (so-axial tubes GQ and l0, to permit passage ofthe wire stock W. The bracket 55 `has a collar II through which :passes the Vlowerreduced threaded portion 'I2 ofthe rod r4I provided with'sets of loclanuts `'I'3-and 'I4-above the collar II. Below the'collar 'H,the\rod 4I has a further reduced portion 'i5 lforming a peripheral abutment y'I5 vat Vthe lower `end of the portion 12. A collar T'I about the portion 'I5is urged against the abutment It by acoil spring 18 about the portion I5 and adj'ustably tensioned by a'lock nut 'i9 threaded on the lower end-of the portion vl5.

The'mechanism foriattaching the tongue tothe body of the buckle islmounted yin the block I4 disposed in-the channel- I2 vof the plate 2'on the presser head H (Figs. 1, 2, land -11),'and com- -prises a'plungeulcarrying aheadl having a stud A82 and -a semi-circular groove 83. The

Vplunger yfill-is slidably received in co-axial bores 'I4-a, I4-b and'I-c in the blockfl4, thefplate 2 y A coil spring S-a about the plunger B0 is conned between the-head H and a flange E50-b on the #plunger 'Bil tobias `the `plungertii) downwardly.

Theheadl on'the lower end ofthe plunger 80 extends through a bore III-d in the block'l4 and nasa vertical key-way BI-a with which co-acts -akey SI-b-threaded inthe block-IAlfto prevent rotatory movement of thefhead 8l.

- The `stud-82 is channeled on its transverse axis (Fig. y2) lto Zprovide-an oblique'shoulder'Z-a (Fig. 14)'merg- YIing upwardly into a vertical groovef82-b (Figs. 1 and 13) merging tangentially into the semi-circular groove 83 (Fig. 1).

For the purpose of frictionally engaging the vstock S vduring its transitthrough thepassageways I'fand Ii of thediesand 1,'there is provided a-presser plate 8d (Figs. 3 and 4) slidably 'mounted inthe dies i6 and l radjacent passage- 'ways I and Ii and urged by "leaf springs v185 `mounted in the dies 6'and"i,to b'earagainst` the stocks in the passageways I'and I I.

4'For the purpose Vofp'roperly relating'the stock S to th'emechanismffor applying the tongue-to the body, there is provided a traction device Yfor automatic displacement of thestock vS (Figs. 1,

-2'an'd=9) comprising a lhousingli suitably mounted in plate 2 adjacent the block I5. A-plung'r Y381-is'vertically'lslidable inthehosing' with a and a pin 89 in a slot 9u in housing 86 to limit the sliding movement of the plunger 81. Pivoted on the lower end of the plunger 81 there is a pair of levers 9| connected by a loop 92 having an outer peripheral convex face 93. A coil spring 98 having one of its ends suitably fixed adjacent the housing 86 and its other end attached to one of the levers 9| serves to bias the loop 92 below the lower horizontal end 95 of the plunger 81. The die 1 in the plate in the bed B (Figs. 1 and 3) has a socket 93 having a concave wall 91 corresponding in contour with the convex face 93 of the loop 92, and a bottom horizontal wall 98.

Operation I will now describe the operation of my improved apparatus. The parts being in the positions shown in Fig. 1 (press open), the stock F, fed from a reel or any other suitable form of support, is inserted in the passageways and Il in the dies 6 and 1 for feed movement from left to right as viewed in Fig. 1. The head H is then depressed by any suitable means (not shown), thereby moving the parts to the positions shown in Figs. 5, 8, 13 and 14 (press closed). This downward movement of the head H causes punches i3 `and i1 to pass through the stock S producing openings S-l and S-2 therein (Fig. l0) which are so configured as to produce a bar S-3 for the body of the buckle having lateral, aligned notches S-ll for receiving the loop of tongue. The punch 22 stamps the stock S into the socket 23 to form the body S-5 of the buckle (Fig. 10). The punch 24 passes through the stock S to produce the orifice S-t in the stock S (Fig. 10).

It will be noted (Fig. 1) that on this down stroke of the head H, the head 8| will contact the stock S since no opening in the stock S has as yet been made in vertical alignment with the head 8|. When the head 8| contacts the stock S, relative movement of head H, plate 2 and head 8| is provided by compression of the spring 89-a (Fig. 11)

The head H is then elevated, removing the punches I6, |1 and 22 and 24 from the dies 6 and 1. By any suitable means (not (shown), the elevation of the head H automatically advances the stock S one step from left to right (Fig. 1) so that the stock S is so disposed that its orice `S--i is located in the socket 96 of the die 1. The head H is then depressed, which causes the plunger 81 to intrude the pivoted loop 92 into the socket 96 of the die 1 and into the orice S-B of the stock S disposed in the socket 96. When the plunger 81 `is suihciently depressed by the downward movement of the head H, its lower end 95 contacts the bottom 98 of the socket 96 causing the plunger 81 to be pressed against spring 88 and into its housing 86. The loop 92 rests on the bottom 98 of the socket 96 and levers 9| pivoting about plunger 81 cause the loop 92 to press its convex face 93 against the concave right wall S-1 of the orifice S-G to move the stock to register wall 'iS-1 with the concave wall 91 of the socket 96. This movement of the stock S, produced by the traction device as above described, disposes the openings lS-I and S--2 in the stock S, produced by the first down stroke of the head H as above described, in relation to the punch 22 and socket 23 for the stamping of the body `S- of the buckle on the complete depression of the head H. It will be noted (Fig. 1) that the traction device functions to register the openings lS--l and S-2 and the punch 22 and the 6 socket 23 on the initiation of the down stroke of the head H, and that the punch 22 functions to stamp the body S-5 of the buckle on the completion of the down stroke of the head H.

The head H is then elevated, causing the advance of the stock 'S one step as above described, which disposes the body S-5 of the buckle below the head 8| as illustrated in Fig. l.

With the stock `S so disposed and the parts as shown in Fig. 1 (press open), the wire stock W, `fed from a reel or any other suitable form of support, is passed upwardly between the gripper jaw 61 and the plate 68 and through the guide tubes 69 and 10 so that its upper end is received through the openings S-Z in the stock S and disposed between the anvil 3| and the hammer 35. During the above-described operations on the stock 'S caused by the reciprocation of the head H, the means for feeding the wire stock W and for forming tongues therefrom have been idling devoid of the wire stock W. When the wire stock W has been supplied to the feeding and forming means, as above described, the feeding and forming means begin to function on depression of the head H. This downward movement of the head H depresses the rod 4| which, due to the frictional engagement of the plunger 44, depresses the block causing the link 38 to rock the rocker head 33. This movement of the head 33 causes the cutting edge 36 on the hammer 35 to sever the wire stock W, thereby producing a portion W|, which is precisely measured, to be formed into a tongue T. The co-acting anvil 3| and the hammer 35 form the tongue T, their Walls 3l-d, 35-d and 3I-e, 35-e producing reversely curved portions T| and T-2 (Fig. 8), and the anvil 3| and the hammer 35 co-act to grip the portion W-l. The down stroke of the head H which produces the tongue T, as above described, causes the traction device to move the stock S to bring the bar S-3 which bounds the opening S-2 through which the portion W-l of the wire stock W has been received, to bear against the portion W| received in one of the notches S-4 in the bar lS-3. It will be noted (Fig. 14) that the bar S-3 is disposed precisely above the vertically disposed wire stock W and symmetrically above the concave portions 3|-f and 35-f of the anvil 3| and the hammer 35, and that the stud 82 passes through opening S-2, into the cut-outportion 28-01, of the block 28, and Iagainst the hammer 35. Further depression of the head H imposes the head 8| on the upper end of the portion W-l which is received against the shoulder 82-a and guided into the groove 82-b of the stud 82. Suicient pressure is exerted by the head 8| upon the completion of the down stroke of the head H to form the upper end portion W-l into an annulus T-3 received in the semi-circular groove 83 and the concave portions 3|-f and 35-f of the anvil 3| and the hammer 35, respectively, disposed circumferentially of the bar S-3 and seated rotatively in the notches S-l, thus completing the forming of the tongue T and its application to the body IS-Ei of the buckle.

When the anvil 3| and the hammer 35 co-act to form the tongue T, as above described, the surface 35-c of the hammer 35 cams the wire stock W against the portion 3 |-c of the anvil 3|, and the co-acting portions 3|-b and 35-b of the anvil 3| and the hammer 35, respectively, engaging the upper cut end of the wire stock W produce the curved portion W-2. The movement of the head 33 to eiect the severing and form- 

